Circular-knitting machine



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. E. KILBOURN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

110.408.111. y Patented July 30, 1889..

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE, No, 408,111. Patented July 30,1889.

@AWM/messes (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. E. KILBOURN.

GIRG ULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

110.408,111. Patented July 30, 1889.

M m1511311 ,d A /K/S 611 @mw (No Model.) e sheets-sheet 4.

E. E. KILBOURN.

CIRCULAR KNITTINC MACHINE.

No. 408,111. Patented Ju1y80, 1889.

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(No Model.)` 6 Sheets-Sheet 5. E. E. KILBOURN.

CIRCULAR KNITTINC MACHINE.

No. 408,111. Patented July 30, 1889.

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

E. E. KILBOURN. CIRCULAR KNITTINC MACHINE.

No. 408,111. Patented July 30, 1889.

@Wifcmeooeo UNITED STATES PATENT Erice.

EDVARD E. KILBOURN, 0F NBHV BRUNS\VICK, NE JERSEY.

VCIFCULAF-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,111, dated July 30,1889.

Original application tiled June 14:, 1887, Serial No. 241,243. Dividedand this application tiled May 9, 1889. Serial No. 310,07. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LEDWARD E. KILBOURN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residinatNew Brunswick, in the county ot Middlesex and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCircular- Knitting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others slilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention vhas reference to cylinder knitting-machines in which acircular series of needles is employed for circular work, and also forreci procating work.

The said invention is illustrated in the accompanyin g drawings, and isfully disclosed in the following specification and claims, the presentapplication being a division of my application No. 241,243, tiled June14,1887.

The object of t-his invention is to provide means for supplying the yarnor thread to the needles of such machines during circular work, and alsoduring reciprocating work during the operations of narrowing` andwidening, and said invention contemplates certain novel features ofconstruction and coinbination of parts, whereby these results areaccomplished,in connection with the devices for operating` the needlesfor circular and reciprocating work.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a front View of a machine embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same. Fig. 2 is a detailedview of one of the devices for feeding the yarn to the needles. Fig. 3isa transverse vertical section of the machine through the axis of theneedle-cylinder, some parts being represented in elevation. Fig. e is alongitudinal vertical section ot a portion ot' the machine tothe left otthe axis of the knitting-cylinder. Fig. 5 represents the correspondingsection of thc portion of them achine to the right of said axis. Fig. 5is a view of the needles. Fig. 5b is a partial plan view on a reducedscale, showing a part of the actuating mechanism. Fig. (i is a centralvertical section of the cam-cylin d ers for operatin g the needles,showing the cams in elevation. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section ot one ofsaid cylinders. Fig. S represents a view of the inside of one of thecarriers for the pickers. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the outsideof the same. Fig. l0 is a vertical transverse section of one ot' saidpicker-carriers. Fig. ll is a similar partial section showing another'form of guiding-grooves. Fig. 12 is a detail view of part of themechanism.

The machine herein shown is generally used for knitting seamlessstockings by first knitting the leg by a continuous circular movementoperating' all of the needles of the knittin g-cylinder. The heel isthen formed by a gang of needles used for reciprocating work, which areoperated by the reciprocation of the proper operating mechanism duringreci procating work, a certain portion of the needles at each side otthe gang being successively thrown out of operation to effect thenarrowing of the web, which is then widened by throwing the said needlessuccessively into operation in a reverse order. The foot of the stockingis then formed by a continuous circular movement of the operating deviceby operating all ot the needles, and the stocking is finished by formingthe toe in the same manner as the heel. \Vhile this is the mostgeneralmodc of proceeding in using the machine, it may also be used bycommencing the stocking at the toe and reversing the order of operationherein described.

The needles preferably used in the machine are latch-needles havingpivoted latches of the usual construction, andthe shank of each issecured to or formed integrally with a projection or nib upon which theoperatingcam acts for the purpose of moving the needles. The needles arearranged in a cir- "cular series and are iitted to slide up and down ingrooves in the knitting-cylinder A and its nosing A. The needles areoperated by means of two cams, which, as shown in. section at B B', Fig.C3, and in detail in Fig. G, are arranged one above the other andsecured to cam-cylinders B2 B3, which are concentric with the series ofneedles and are fitted to turn around the knitting-cylinder A. The lowercam-cylinder is supported by a ring bearing or support b, and the uppercam-cylinder B2 is supported upon the lower. The lower cam-cylinder B3is held in place by means of studs JX, secured to the ring-bear- IOOreciprocating thread-guide to knit the heel and toe of the stocking.

In order to adapt the needle to the positions of the cams, those needleswhich are to bev operated by the upper cam B have their nibs arranged atthe required distance from their heads to be operated by that cam forcircular work, and those needles which are to be operated by the cam Bduring widening and narrowing-namely, the fashioning-needleshave theirnibs arranged at the required distance from their heads to be operatedby that cam for both circular work and reciprocating work.

IVhen the entire series of needles is operated for knitting straightcircular work-such as the leg of the stocking-both cam-cylinders B2 B3are caused to revolve continuously and simultaneously, so that eachneedle of the entire circular series is caused successively to movelengthwise to and fro, as required, to take the yarn for the loop formedby it and to cast off the preceding loop or sti-tch. For this purposethe two cam-cylinders are connected by gearing with, and given acontinuous rotary motion by, the main driving-shaft D. The connectionbetween the lower camcylinder D3 and the main driving-shaft is by meansof a main wheel e, secured to the lower cam-cylinder, the intermediatewheel e', fitted to turn on a stud e2, the pinion e, secured to theupper end of an upright shaft e4, the beveled pinion e5, secured to thelower end of the shaft e4, the beveled wheel e6, gearing into thebeveled pinion e, the beveled pinion e7, connected to the beveled pinione and fitted to turn upon a shaft e2, and a beveled wheel e9, which issecured to the main driving-shaft D and revolves with it. Vhen,therefore, the dri vingshaft is caused to revolve in the directionindicated by the arrow, Fig. l, the lower camcylinder is caused torevolve continuously in the direction indicated by the arrow in saidfigure.

The upper cam-cylinder B2 is preferably caused to revolve by beingconnected with the lower cam-cylinder B2, and the most convenient methodof connecting the two cam-cylinders is by means of a lug c', secured tothe cam-cylinder B2 and revolving with it, and a pivoted latch or lugc2, secured to the camcylinder B2 and adapted to be engaged by the lugc. When the cylinder B3 is revolved in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. l, the lug c will engage the latch c2 and the twocam-cylinders will revolve together. The cam-cylinders can be turned byhand independently of each other, and if the cam-cylinder B3 be rotatedbackward the lug c will pass under and raise the latch c2, allowing thecam-cylinder B2 to remain stationary.

I provide a thread-guide E to feed the thread to the entire series ofneedles when knitting circular work. This thread-guide is mounted uponand carried* by the cylinder B2 and delivers the yarn to the needles insuccession before the cam-cylinders operate upon their nibs to depressthem. In order that this circular thread-guide E may be readily movedout of its operative position when the heel and toe of a stocking are tobe knit, it is secured to a rocking stock f, (see Figs. 2 and 22,)pivotally mounted in standards f, which are attached to the cam-cylinderB2, and I provide a locking device for holding said threadguide securelyin either its operative or the non-operative position. This lockingdevice consists of a spring-latch f2, provided with a nib to engage anarm f3, which projects from the stock of the thread-guide, as best seenin Fig. 22. NVhen the circular thread-guide is out of its operativeposition, the spring-latch engages with the upper side of said arm f2,as shown, and when the circular thread-guide is in its operativeposition said latch engages the under side of said arm.

In order that the latches of the needles may be kept from accidentallyflying up when knitting circular work and that they may be positivelythrown down, I provide the latchguard f4, which is attached to the stockf of the thread-guide E, and therefore may be readily turned into andout of its operative position with the said thread-guide.

In order to hold the upper Cain-cylinder B2 out of operation whenreciprocating work is being done, I provide a locking device for suchcylinder, which consists, preferably, of a notched latch F, whichengages a lug c on the cam-cylinder B2, as more particularly describedand shown in my application, No. 241,243, filed June I4, 1887.

During the reciprocating work I prefer to cause the cam-cylinder B3 toreciprocate by a portion of the same gearing which is employed forrevolving it during circular work, and to employ supplementary gearingto complete the movement. I prefer in this connection to use asupplementary driving-shaft D for reciprocating work, and to connect somuch of the gearing as is then used with said supplementarydriving-shaft. The portion of the main gearing previously described,which is used in the said machine for reciprocating work, consists ofthe main wheel e, the intermediate wheel e', pinion c3, the uprightshaft e4, the beveled pinion c5, and the beveled wheel e, The otherportion of the main gearing, which remains connected with the maindriving-shaft, consists of thc two wheels e7 and e. In order that theformer portion of the gearing may be reciprocated for reciprocatingwork,

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the beveled wheel e is not made fast to the beveled wheel e7, and theconnection of the said beveled wheel e6 with the beveled Wheel e7 forcircular work consists of disconnectible drivers comprising, preferably,two lugs 7L 7L', one of which is secured to the back of the beveledwheel c, while the other lug is connected with the beveled wheel el,which is driven by the drivin g-shaft D. This mode of connection permitsthe wheel e to be rotated to and fro without affecting the driving-shaft D. A further extent of reciprocation may be obtained, ifdesired, by the means shown and described for this purpose in myapplication No. 21tl,243.

The supplementary driving-shaft is connected with the beveled wheel ethrough the intervention of a reciprocating rack II and a pinion 610,which is driven by said rack and is connected with the beveled wheel cThe stock of the reciprocating rack II is iitted to slide in bearingsconnected with the main frame, and it is connected by a connectingrod IIwith a crank H2, which is secured to the shaft l-I, and this crank-shaft `is connected with the supplementary driving shaft by means ofbeveled Wheels e and cl2. In order that the said reciprocatingmechanismmay be connected with and disconnected from the cam cylinder B3, theconnection is made through the intervention of a clutch memberI, Fig.13, whose hub is fitted to slide upon pinionshaft bs, and is connectedwith it by a spline or feather of the usual construction. The clutchmemberI has a tooth e', which is adapted to engage a notch formed in thehub e" of the wheel e and the portion of the main gearing connecting itwith the cam-cylinder Bg, and the said cam-cylinders are caused toreciprocate bythe continuous revolution of the driving-shaft D. Thisclutch member I may be moved by means of a shipper, one arm of which J'is forked and engages a groove of the clutch member I, and the other Jhas the form of a handle, the two parts being connected by a verticalshaft suitably mounted on the mainframe.

During reciprocating work the yarn is fed to the gang of needles then atwork by means of a supplementary thread-guide E', which is caused tomove to and fro in a circular curve by a movement derived :from that ofthe cam-cyliiulerl, then operating. In order that this supljilementarythread-guide E may be moved out of the way while circular work is beingdone and may readily be put in position for reciprocating work, it isconnected pivotally with a movable bracket-arm E7, that is supported bya standard ES at the back of the machine. The hub gof the bracket-arm istted to turn on the head of the standard, and is provided with a pin g4,passed through said hub and arranged to engage with a hole in the collarg of the bracket-standard ES, when the bracket-arm is in the position tohold the pivoted shaft g5 of the supplementary thread-guide centrallyover the series of needles inthe knitting-cylinder. Vhen thesupplementary thread-guide is to be thrown out of operation, this pin iswithdrawn and the bracket-arm, with the thread-guide, is swung backward,so as to remove the threadguide from its operating position, and it maybe held when so removed by engaging the pin in a second hole in thecollar gi". As the supplementary threadguide is caused to move inalternately reverse direct-ions, a duplex latch-guard f5 is combinedwith it to keep the latches of the needles from accidentally flying upwhen knitting reciprocating work. The supplementary thread-guide isrepresented in the drawings in its operating position, and it is thencaused to reciprocate by means of a cam E2, Figs. 2 and 7, secured tothe collar of the lower cam-cylinder B3. The ends of this cam operatealternately upon the shank of the supplementary thread-guide, and inorder that the supplementary thread-guide may stand at rest for a shortperiod atA each end of its reciprocating movement a spring-driverj, Fig.4, is introduced between the cam E2 and the driving-arm E of thethread-guide, and stops E E5 are applied to limit the reciprocatingmovement of the supplementary thread-guide. rlhus when one end of thecam is drivingthe supplementary thread-guide to the right hand the stopE5 stops its movement at the proper time, and the spring-driver,yielding to the pressure of the oblique end of the cam, permits the camto pass it. A. correspondin operation takes place when the supplementarythread-guide is moved to the left hand and is stopped by the stop El. Inorder that the yarn may be subjected to the proper tension, thethread-guide is fitted with a threadtension of one of. the usualconstructions, and a spring thread-take-upy", Fig. 4, also is providedto take up and give out slack yarn, as is customary in the use ofknitting-machines. Oneof the usual constructions of thread-tensionswhich I have used with success is represented at El", Figs. l and 4, andconsists of apin having a slotted head. The yarn is passed through theslot of the head of the pin, and the pin is turned more or less to makethe yarn deviate more or less .from a straight. line, or to encircle thepin more or less, as may be .found necessary to produce the resistanceto the free movement of the yarn required to produce the requiredtension.

The fashioning-needles are raised and lowered out of and into operativeposition duringnarrowing and widening by means of pickers K, Figs. S,i), ll, and lZ-one for each side of the gang of fashioning-needles.Flach of these pickers is fitted to slide up and down in a carrierL,which is moved as described to place the picker in position to operateupon the required needle. Each carrier is fitted in grooves 7127s in theframe-work of the machine, said grooves bein concentric with the seriesof needles, so that the pickers may operate successively upon theneedles in exactly the IOO IIO

same manner. These grooves being concentric with the knitting-cylinderand the carvriers being segmental in. form, the said carriers will workin the same grooves on opposite sides of the knitting-cylinder. Thisconstruction enables me to elnploy short pickers and construct t-hem ofthe same size for both sides of the machine. lf preferred, the ends ofthe carriers maybe grooved and the grooves Zt' Zo may be replaced bycircular ribs, as shown at Zcx, Fig. l2.

In order that the same picker may be used to move the needle fornarrowing out of its working position and to move it for widening intoits working position, each picker is provided with two lugs 7a2 7a3,Figs. 8 and ll, one of which 7a2 acts beneath the supplementary nib ofthe needle-shank and pushes the needle out of its working position fornarrowing, while the other k3 acts upon the upper side of said nib andpulls it back into its working position for widenin g. The'pickers arecaused to rise and fall by means of a-reciprocating cam K which ispreferably iitted to turn upon the stock of the knitting-cylinder belowthe knitting-cam, and each picker K is provided with a pin Zet, whichengages the groove of said cam for operating said picker. The picker-camis provided on its periphery with gear-teeth kf", which engage with -theteeth of a segment kwhich is mounted pivotally upon a stud Zt, securedto the frame of the machine.

^ To this segment is secured a second segment n, the teeth of which areengaged by those of a rack N, which is supported in guides and has itsshank connected by a pin with an upright lever i the lower end of whichis pivoted to the frame of the machine. The lever NY is formed in theshape of a yoke and has two projections n2 fnwithin the range of the twomembers n* n of a cam N2, which is secured to the crankshaft H3 of themachine, which is driven by the supplementary driving-shaft D. It willbe seen that a revolution of the shaft lli" will cause a reciprocationof the rack M and segments n and Zt, thereby actuating the cam K and thepickers K.

The pickers K are given an alternating movement toward or from thecenter of the gang ot fashioningaieedles after each carrying or shiftingof the picker. Each carrier L is provided with a worm-Segment Z, whichis engaged by a screw Z, secured to a shaft Z2, which is fitted both torotate and to move endwise in its bearings. Each screw-shaft is iittedwith a pinion Z3, the teeth of which engage with those of a wheel Z4,which is a driving-wheel common to both of the screw-pinions Z3, asshown in Fig. l. This wheel Z4 is caused to turn continuously duringreciprocating knitting. The gearing between the screws Z Z and thesupplementary drivingshaft is so proportioned that each screw is causedto revolve one-half of a revolution for each revolution of thecrank-shaft H3, which imparts reciprocatingmovement to the threadguideE', and the pitch of the screws Z Z is double the pitch or gage of theneedles in the series, so that a half-turn of the screwis suiiicient tomove the carrier which is controlled and the picker from one needle tothe next in the series.

The screws are given an endwise movement for the purpose of allowing thecarrier a pe- 4riod of rest before each advance by a cam,

and I prefer to use two cams for each screw, and to arrange these in theform of cam-collars Z5, Fig. 3. These cam collars, one of which is shownin Fig. 3, are located at the opposite sides of the bearing Z, in whichthe screw-shaft revolves, and the screw-shaft is provided with pins Z7,(one being shown in Fig. 3,) which bear against the collars, so that asthese pins move during the turning of the screw along the inclined facesof the camcollars the screw-shaft Z2 and screw Z are caused to moveendwise, as more fully shown in my application No. 241,243.

During the narrowing of the work the carrier is caused to move towardthe middle of the gang of the fashioning-needles, and during thewidening of the work the carrier is caused to move outward. In orderthatthese movements in lreverse directions may be obtained from thedriving-shaft while-always revolving in the same direction, the screwdriving-wheel Z4, which is fitted to revolve upon a stud secured to theframe of the machine, has secured to its hub a beveled piuion Z3, Fig.3, which engages with a beveled wheel Z9, whose hub Z11 is fitted toturn upon the stock of the knitting-cylinder A. A corresponding beveledwheel Zw, having its teeth opposed to the teeth of wheel Z9, is alsosecured to the hub Z, so that the two wheels revolve together. At theside of the hub of these beveled wheels which is opposite to the beveledpinion ZS a secondV beveled pinion Z12 is arranged, and this beveledpinion is connected to the supplementary drivin g-shaft D through theintervention of the wheel Z13, secured to the hub of the beveled pinionZ12, the intermediate wheel Z1", secured to an intermediate pinion P5,(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) the pinion Z1, (also shown in dottedlines,

Fig. 2,) secured to the crank-shaft H3, and the' beveled wheels en cl2,which impart' motion from the supplementary driving-shaft B to thecrank-shaft H3. The diameter of the pinion Z12 is less than the spacebetween thc faces of the reversely-beveled wheel Z9 Zw, so

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that it can operate in connection with one of an arm Z111, which ispivoted and swings upon the axis of the intermediate wheel 2,11, so thatthe driving-pinion may be shifted from one of the change-wheels Z9 Z111to the other without a'ffectin g the engagement of the wheels Z13 andZ15. The driving-pinion is also provided with astud or roller Z111, Fig.3, and the hub Z11 of the change-wheels is provided with a rail Z211,secured thereto between said chan ge-wheels. Two segments Z21 aresecured, preferably by means of screws, between the change-wheels,

the teeth of said segments corresponding to those of the change-wheels-Then the driv ing-pinion impellii'ig either of the changewheels causesthe appropriate seginentto come into gear with the pinion-teeth, saidpinion engages said segment and is shifted from one of saidchange-wheels to the other, and the end of the rail Z211-is in theproper position to permit the stud or roller Z111 of the drivingpinionto pass around it during this shifting operation, and the said railserves to hold the said pinion in engagement with one or the other ofsaid change-wheels by means of the stud Z111. The extents of theportions of the changewheels which are between the segments and whichare engaged by the drivingpinion before shifting determine the number'of turns imparted to the carrierscrew, the number of times the carriersare moved, and the number of needles that are moved int-o and out ofoperation in narrowing and widening the work.

XVhen the machine is narrowing or widening, it is desirable that thethread-guide E', which is then reciprocated, should have its extent ofmotion varied to correspond with the less or greater extent of thenarrowed or widened work. In order that this variation may be properlyeffected, the picker-carriers L are provided with the stops E1 E, whichare moved with them, said stops being connected with the carrierspreferably by means ofthe brackets E11 E11; hence whenever apickercarrier is moved the corresponding stop is moved, and the extentto which the reciprocating thread-guide can be moved by its cam Varied.rlhe practical effect of limiting the movement of the reciprocatingthread-guide by stops and permitting the needle-cam B', which is thenreciprocated, to be moved past the thread-guide in the continuedmovement of its cam-cylinder B3, is to transfer the reciprocatingthread-guide from one side to the other of the reciprocating cam, sothat the thread-guide is always in advance of that cam in whicheverdirection the cam may be moved. This transfer is important, and may beeffected by providing stops E1 upon some rigid portion of the frame ifit is not desired to have said stops advanced by the pickercarrier. Thistransfer obviates the necessity of using' switch-cams, which tend tobreak the needles, and which also permit a certain amount of freedom ofmovement of the needles, which is objectionable.

The needle-cams, actuating mechanism,

and stop devices form the subject-matter of my application, No. 241,243,tiled J une 14, 1887; the hook-partitions the subject of my applicationNo. 310,077, filed May 9, 1889, and the narrowing and wideningmechanism. the subject of my application N o. 310,079, iiled May 9,1889, and are not claimed herein.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, substantially before set forth, of theknitting-cylinder, two camcylinders for operating the needles thereoffor circular work, the thread-guide for circular work, and a lockingdevice for holding said thread-guide out of its operative position.

2. The combination, substantially as before sctforth, of theknitting-cylinder, the two camcylinders for operating the needlesthereof for circular work, the thread-guide for circular work, and arcciln'ocating thread-guide, which is reciprocated in combination withone of said cam-cylinders for reciprocating work. l

3. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of thereciprocating threadguide, the stop therefor, and the picker-carrier.

4;. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of theneedle-cylinder, the needles, the cam by which the needles are operatedfor reciprocating work, the picker, the piekercarrier, the thread-guidewhich is operated for reciprocating work, and means for transferringsaid thread-guide from one side of said cam to the other side thereof,including a stop for said thread-guide moving in a determined relationwith the picker-carrier.

5. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of aneedle-cylinder, the needles, the cam by which the needles are operatedfor reciprocating work, the pickers, the pick` er-carriers, thethread-guide which is operated for reciprocating work, and means fortransferring said thread-guide from one side of said cam to the otherthereof, including stops mounted on and moving with saidpicker-carriers.

G. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of aknitting-cylinder, the needles, two cam-cylinders, one of which is inoperation only during circular work, means for imparting motion to onecam-cylinder for reciprocating work, thread-supplying devices, and meansfor operating said thread-supplying devices for circular andreciprocating work.

7. The combination, substantially as before 'set forth, of theknitting-cylinder, the needles, a cam-cylinder which only works duringcircular work, a reciprocating cani-cylinder, thread-supplying devicesfor circular work, a separate thread-guide for reciprocating work, andmeans for operating the latter threadguide in connection with thereciprocating cam-cylinder.

8. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of aknitting-cylinder and its needles, two cam-cylinders, one of which onlyworks during circular work, and thread- IOO IIO

supplying devices, the threadsupplying deoiprocatng' work moving inunison with the ro vices for reciprocating work moving inenreciprocating @am through the whole o11 a part gagelnent with thereciprocating emn-eylinof its movement.

der. In testimony whereof I afx my signature in 9. The combination,substantiallyas before presence of two witnesses.

set forth7 of aneedle-eylinderfmd its needles, EDWARD E. KILEOURN.

two cam-cylinders, one of which only works Vtnesses:

during' circular Work, and thread-supplying A. H. W'HITAKER,

devices, the thread-suppying device for 1'e- L. P. VHITAKER.

